FIR filed against BJP's Basanagowda Patil Yatnal over his remarks against Congress's Dinesh Gundu Rao, family

Yatnal, reacting to Gundu Rao's allegation of BJP links to the Rameshwaram cafe blast in Bengaluru, had said "There is a Pakistan in Gundu Rao's house, so it's his habit to give anti-national statements", a purported reference to the Congress leader's marriage to a Tabu Rao, a Muslim woman.

BJP MLA Basanagowda Patil Yatnal.

Credit: X/@BasanagoudaBJP

Bengaluru: BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has been booked for calling the Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao’s house ‘half Pakistan’. On a complaint by Rao’s wife Tabassum Rao alias Tabu Rao, a Muslim, an FIR has been registered against Yatnal, a former Union Minister, for malignant and wanton provocation under section 153B of the IPC, a police officer told PTI.

“There is Pakistan in Gundu Rao’s house. There is half Pakistan in his house,” Yatnal said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters here, Tabassum expressed indignation and slammed Yatnal. “I don’t know who Basanagouda Patil Yatnal is. He said Dinesh Gundu Rao’s house is ‘half Pakistan’. I have no clue why he said so. I am not in politics,” the Minister’s wife said.

“Is it the BJP’s politics? They can speak about the issues. They say ‘Bharat Mata’ but can’t they respect women? Dinesh is in politics. I have no problem if he (Yatnal) talks about him. I don’t like being dragged into this. I am fed up with the Muslim card. How long will you play this?” she said.